All the way to his Homeland
by Aki-Akatsuki
Summary: The story is about how the news of Ace's execution reached his homeland, how Makino and Dadan react to it. Enjoy :)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

 _The Bad News:_

The news spread as fire on a field, the whole world knew about Ace execution and the predicted war. The oceans roared with ambivalent feelings: 'Excitement' as it was a rare chance for the pirates who seek the head of Whitebeard, 'Happiness' for the folks who fear pirates and children who thought they were monsters, in other hand 'Sadness' covered some lands the old man protected, the last thing a person could feel was 'Anxiety' of the possibility the world would be destroyed under the Yonko's hands.

Makino as a bartender, naturally, knew all kind of information include rumors and gossips, thus she never felt the need to purchase newspaper.

It was a day like every day, she woke up early and was heading to Party Bar with the zeal to work harder again when she heard the flapping sound of wings, she darted her face following the sound her ears detected to spot a crew of white birds carrying the newspapers. She wondered from where they got all that passion, it was a good thing maybe? So why was her heartbeats fastened like she saw a devil? The coo birds start throwing the papers without taking the belis in exchange and that was awfully weird in a bad way. She rooted in her place astonished until one of the documents, which popped down next her legs, forced her to back up slightly as chills run down her spine. The fear she pressed down within her seemed to leak, the fear of receiving bad news about Shanks. True she trust his power, but her anxiety always took the better of her.

She didn't move to explore the paper in front of her rather stood gazing at it from the tiny distance shielding behind her ignorance of the urgent matter like that would deny it's existence or erase it. After awhile of mental struggling, she mastered the courage to held the document and with shaky hands room in it, through it didn't consume her time to found the big news as it adore the first page.

It wasn't what she feared to be, but sure enough what she read held the same impact. "A-A-Ace?" She uttered under her chin when she saw his picture then blanked when she eyed the huge word 'Arrested', nevertheless what cut her reason's strings was the word 'Execute'. The word echoed couple of times within her skull before her brain registered it, she couldn't control her body's movement as she started trembling then her legs gave in after a failed essay to seal her cries and screams that dragged the islanders out of their slumber.

Eventually and at least when her legs stop quivering, she dashed to Garp's house. She knew the old man was there, she saw him last night yet no matter how much she knocked or rather hammered the door, aside from the echoed sound of her knocking in the empty resident, there was no response. She gave up due to the tiredness that hocked her up and that seemed like the soul was leaving her body, she leaned over the closed door then letting loose of her conscious.

The mayor and his family took care of her, they consol her yet they know no possible words could extinguish her burned heart. She was like a big sister to the troublesome trio, she love them whole heartily. Hell, she'd go to the extent of climbing mountains and go to the den of bandits to see them. Sabo, Ace and Luffy's shadows played around her as the fever messed up her head, no matter how evil deed they do, in her eyes they were the cutest little brother ever.

'Luffy would speak non-stop about his adventure with his brothers, I enjoyed his stories…rather I enjoyed the smile on his ruby face. Ace would blush whenever I get him clothes he would curse the teasing Sabo who blush as well when I gave him his share too, Dadan would go nut when I called them Angels…Aah Dadan! Did she know?' Makino fought the heaviness weighting her eyes, when her inner self answered 'No'.

Dadan was a dense woman who didn't care much for the world and didn't like reading their bullshit, it gives her headache and it's a hell waste of belis, moreover the stupid birds wouldn't spot her house in the thick forest anyway. She woke up with a heavy feelings like a rock has been set over her heart, she smoke more cigarettes than usual and avoided any clash with her follows oddly than their liking. Her 'family' –bandits- could tell she was kind of down so they thought about cheering her up with a fest, nevertheless the supposed grand catch turned up to be a tiny rabbit, she scorched with anger at the sight of their lunch and leached out at them,

"Y-You good-for-nothing men…I'll die from a nerve crack, oh no, I definitely will die from hunger first…years passed and you couldn't even be half good as the seven years old devil or the stupid rubber brat was…" The bandits looked at her wide eyed and with gaped mouths since she rarely mentioned Ace and Luffy, and when she do they knew that she's worried about the two brats despite the insults she threw their backs in an attempt to hide her soft feelings, cause she loved her rough facade.

"Boss they're doin' fine 'm sure" One of the bandits uttered breaking the common rule of never ever pointing Dadan's gentle feelings.

"Get lost ya MORONS" Dadan snapped, her already red face reddened even more if possible.

"Of course they are, I'm the one still having nightmares 'cause of them…" she yelled at the backs of the running men, then whispered to herself "The devils has something attached to their asses lure troubles..." Though the remark didn't do her any good. She grabbed her pack of cigarette then dragged her foot to the only place where she feels at ease, to the tree house the brats built.

* * *

Makino wanted to go up the mountain, she wanted to tell Dadan as soon as possible but the mayor didn't let her, not with that weak body and soul, she may encounter savage animals in her way so he suggested sending someone, so he did.

The idiot took the wrong way and end up in the wild forest then a bear chased after him, he run for dare life as fast as he could screaming and making an uproar. Dadan heard the rustle of trees and someone yelling, she normally would let the bastard gain what he sought but she considered saving his sorry ass after making sure he wasn't a hunter. The moment the man step in front of her, she arrowed him with her axe he hardly and miraculously dodged it by crouching then the weapon wind up in a tree near the bear rather than his neck. The fur bag froze, its tongue stock in its mouth as Dadan licked her mouth,

"That's what I could call a fest" She was honest as she skinned the damn animal and grilled him with her eyes. Frightened, the bear turned on his tail and run, then she shifted her vision to the stupid human being who thought the woman was a cannibal and as a result passed out,

"Am-I that dazzling? Ho ho ho" She said while daydreaming about a beautiful and young version of her.

She carried the man to the den of bandits where they would investigate about his reasons of wondering the forest. Nevertheless he didn't seem to wake up anytime soon and him repeating the name of Makino in his sleep set on the nervous of the orange-haired woman, Dadan assumed tha the green haired girl was in some kind of trouble, and far to admit she was worried about her. Makino was the only one approaching and visiting her, even after Ace and Luffy departure she didn't stop checking on Dadan constantly.

"ugh… lets go to Party Bar to steal some good rum," She ordered pretending to be evil, still they are her family and could figured out how she feel right away but they screamed cheering anyway.

The trip from mountains to Foosha village took them less then hour since they knew the short court like the palm of their hands. They spotted the bar closed, and God it was unusual, Makino loved her work she never missed a day unless she had an urgent matter and even so she still let a neighborhood took care of her business till she return.

Dadan grabbed one of the passing villagers by the collar and asked flustered "Where the Hell is Makino?"

"T-T-The mayor house."

She headed straight to the mayor or whoever house with gang, usually the villagers would try to stop them or complain from afar nevertheless every single one avoided eye contact with Dadan not with fear, not with respect it was the sympathy which add oil to her flamed rage.

Once she reached the said house, she bragged in not mind knocking her orbs set open the sick bedded woman"Makino? What the meaning of this?" She asked about the closed Bar and her staying at the mayor house.

"It's the truth…Poor Ace" Makino answered thinking Dadan was questioning the news about her kid.

"What…Who?"She quizzed with wide eyes. _'Did she just said Ace? Oh not possible'_ she thought that maybe she misheard.

Makino's tears started oozing, from Dadan's reaction she understood that the bandit woman didn't know yet. She tried hard however couldn't unite the shattered words in her head and spoke the sentence. Sensing her struggle the mayor handed the newspaper to Dadan, as it was even for him a difficult task to tell her.

She read and re-read then again started all over and read, the gang glimpsed over the grand wide title and gasped what happened and they start making uproar. _''EXECUTE' meaning they would kill him right? He no longer could return?'_

"…I was forced to raise the brat, Garp blackmailed me…he was gonna turn me to the marine if I refused…I didn't like it you know? He would stab me with those deathful glares, his trouble gives me headache…and nightmare" While she rumbled the meadow of eyes all set on her, what she was talking about in that kind of situation? She herself didn't found the answer.

"I was forced, so why…" It was her hobbit to play the rough woman, and never show her true feeling but _'till when?'_ She trembled at the thought.

"Why did I treated his wound?…Why did I searched for him in the middle of fire…W-Why did I hold my axe to fight for him…Why Am I concerned?" Warm droplet descended her face just then she understood that when he glared at her she was 'Sad', when he was injured she was 'concerned', when he smiled with his brother she was 'happy'. Yes, she had nightmares, but not because of them it was about them.

She deeply loved the two brats "Ace…Luffy" Her indifferent mask broke along with her fake feeling that she thought were defensing walls but proved that they were nothing more than a glassy facade and the trice the blow shattered it to sharp pieces hurt her more than anything she went thought, and she cried like she never did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

 _Failed Attempts:_

*Two weeks before Ace's execution*

Dadan fate on Garp faded away after the first week passed with no news whatsoever, she knew pretty well the old man and his sense of 'justice'. Afterward she tried many times to set sail to impel down but failed due to her gang or Makino stopping her, sometimes she could mange sailing about one meter from chore nevertheless her boats –which were stolen- end up drowning. All her life crouched in mountains now wanted to SAIL, she was aware of the fact that she was like a snake who wanted to fly which was impossible unless between the claws of an eagle but she never gave it up and with every day ended she felt herself even more restless.

Makino re-opened her bar for the bandits to set there and wait for any news, though nothing come of it more than troubles which Dadan started whenever she saw pirates,

"Are you going to Marineford?" she asked a pirate.

"Why would I? The road to the new world would be safer without that Yonko and the marines busy with…" He was proud to brag with what he thought a genius idea, but she was sick of hearing the same thing over and over again, she grabbed his collar and yelled "You coward…When the lions turn their back the rats like you show their asses"

"Boss…stops please" The bandits plea went into the dead's ears.

"Filthy woman what did you just said?" The pirate snapped willing to throw a fist.

In most of her fight she ended up with bruises and scratches, she was lucky to clash with chickens, ' _lucky?_ ' She smiled ironically wiping blood from her lips. _'Fool'_ the strong ones were heading in that second to Marineford and there was no way in hell they cross their island, it wasn't even in their path even so she continued her unreasonable fights. Neither Makino nor the town's people could stop her, not today or tomorrow. Something indeed had crushed inside of her, she needed to move her fist and swing her axe, she needed to convince herself that she was TRYING her best or that thing will crush the whole her.

Dadan sat at the Party Bar again, Makino slide a cup of rum to her direction but she didn't make a move toward it as her mind was traveling to who know where.

"Dadan…" Makino murmured softly pulling her to reality, her eyes glowing with anxiety.

"Oh thanks…They swore to drive me nut isn't?" Dadan faked a tired smile to assure the woman in front of her but she failed miserably.

Makino was about to speak forward when a crew stepped in the bar, the bandit woman was about to ask their destination or rather pick another fight.

"Ha ha ha…The marines gonna do us a favor, choking that cocky brat." One of them spouted out loud as the others laughed.

She held her axe tight. Well, a fight come flying to her she had to accept it gladly, the next thing she know was charging in whosever badmouthed Ace. At the end of every fight Dadan was the one to get hurt the most since her fighting skills weren't much.

"Dadan, you should stop…N-Nothing will be solved like that" Makino said while bandaging her arm, they almost killed her if it wasn't for the villagers who chased them away.

Even before Garp showed up with Ace in his arms she knew she wasn't cut out to be a mother since children are handful, nuisance, and a true headache. That what she used to think, instead she understood that she wasn't cut out to be one because she had nothing to offer her kids. But she still, even if in a tiny way, their mother.

"They're my kids." She mumbled with a weak and sad tone, stating to herself more than to Makino. The green-haired woman's eyes widened at the honest words then nodded her face in agreement "…Indeed."

*The Day Before Ace's Execution*

The risen sun illuminated the horizon chasing away the darkness of the night, and announcing a new day. Although 'New' was never the right word to described it since we woke up every morning with the same bed hair as always and the same problems laying there beside us not bothering with manners, just slapping us first thing after we opened our eyes. So it was just 'another' day.

The Life persuaded it motion as the bird sing, the river stream and the wind drift between the leaves of the trees. The time stops for anybody, let alone Dadan. She was tired, stressed, and inevitably broken since it was the day right after Ace's execution.

Her illogical essays stopped, she just sat at the kids hiding base in the tree, sinking in her memories.

In effect a certain event played itself in front of her.

 _That day she was hiding behind a tree, like a cat ready to leap on them –maybe a bear would be more suitable, anyway- She swore when she catch the brats she would definitely made them suffer for stealing her jar of sake._

"Ahh! You stole some of Dadan's booze" _Luffy said with his eyes on the jar between Ace's hands_.

' _It isn't SOME, it is All I've got_ ' _Dadan prepared to jump on their heads; she was just waiting for the right moment to hook all the three at once._

"Did you know, guys?…If you exchange drinks then you can become brothers" _Ace persuaded pouring Sake on three cups_ "When we become pirates we may not be able to end up in the same crew…but the brotherhood we share will never die"

 _She couldn't find the right words to describe their naive actions, binding their brotherhood with her stolen booze but she saw the zeal in their soul to do so_ ' _I'll let it slip, just this time_ ' _she walked away but still heard their loud voices_ "STARTING TODAY…WE ARE BROTHERS"

A rustle knocked her out her lucid dream, Makino entered Dadan eyesight with a bottle in her hand which draw a weary smile in her lips.

"I figure you want some" Makino handed her booze which she accept gladly.

"I _need_ it" Dadan corrected.

"Have faith…"

' _An unbreakable bond huh?'_ "…Luffy would be in his way to save Ace, I know that much"

"…He's not weak," based on all the news she heard about Luffy, Makino was pretty sure he is definitely was not a weakling.

"Reckless" Dadan said instantly, she remembered the times he got almost slowed by crocodiles then added "…Beyond imagination."

"Whitebeard would be there as well." The old man was a living legendary, after Gold D. Roger he was the strongest in the previous generation and his presence intimidate the successive one. Whitebeard as the strongest man alive he was worth trust in saving Ace that was Makino thought. Nevertheless, Dadan ignored the statement or rather what she talked about explained her fear.

"I've never imagined I would feel the same as that time," Makino's eyes darted to the woman next her in curiosity after all she never talk about her past.

"We lost both parents in a fight between pirates and marines…I was the youngest and the only female out of my three siblings thus accustomed to do chores and take care of the house while my brothers work in a small field we had. They took good care of me…Bright days, huh?" She sipped from the booze bottle before continuing.

"Not until a certain king took over the island, he filched the fields of all the poor people, ours too, then used it for his own trade. We faced hunger and cold, still it wasn't that bad sleeping under the stars or eating others leftovers cause we were together and that what mattered…One day the revolution started even his army joined the civilians, he was cornered so he pay pirates to fight for him. Red was the only color you could see in streets, we hid inside a cave in the forest waiting for Marines to do something yet the whole damn thing was good for their benefaction."

Makino saw the bottle tremble in Dadan's hands, Was-she scared? Angry? Sad? She couldn't tell as the woman's eyes were like empty abyss reflected nothing but cold darkness.

"The war took days and we had to search for something to eat…Stupid human body and it needs…The day we left the cave we encountered a group of pirates, my brothers protected me with all they had or at least they tried, I screamed for the pirates to stop but they didn't…I begged them to spare my brothers lives…It was all in vain. When I saw a sword was going to thrust into one of my brothers my body moved on its own…Cold disappeared as the red clot was warm, and I realized I was somehow satisfied and no longer hungry, still I was so sad cause 'we no longer could be together' I closed my eyes so I could just go already…But I opened them again in the house of a mountain bandits, they said it was a miracle because I was the only one to survive."

She laughed out loud which made her tears even brighter, tears for some reason hung in the corner of her eyes and refused to roll down.

"It was a 'MIRACLE' can you believe it? The only survivor…I called it a curse since I was fated to stay alone, a curse because I had to live and let them go where I couldn't reach…A curse force me to wish I was long ago death before losing or even before I met them." She pointed to the wanted post of Ace and Luffy which she hung there.

"Dadan, they will make it out of it alive. They're Ace and Luffy after all, a second commander in Whitebeard crew and the other is a Captain…Nope they're more than that and we should trust they could make a 'Miracle'." Dadan blanked at the overwhelmed trust Makino has for Luffy and Ace, she also did the same. Nevertheless for Dadan it was so scary to hold tight, other than her axe which perceptible, in just _feelings_.


End file.
